Antigo Mercado de Escravos

Lagos


Set in the building believed to be Europe's first slave market, when slaves from the west coast of Africa were brought here in 1444, this small museum recounts the grim history of slavery in Lagos and the Algarve region, which continued until 1761. Exhibition spaces detail the lives of the enslaved through interpretation panels in English and Portuguese, with pop-up information and animations on free augmented reality multimedia guides.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Lagos attractions

1. Statue of Prince Henry the Navigator

0.02 MILES

This statue commemorates the prince of Portugal who used Lagos as a launch pad for many of the expeditions he commissioned. It was inaugurated in 1960 on…

2. Igreja de Santa Maria

0.04 MILES

The symmetrical Igreja de Santa Maria was built during the 15th and 16th centuries and retains a 16th-century entrance; the rest of the remaining…

3. Igreja de Santo António

0.07 MILES

A baroque extravaganza, this little church bursts with gilded, carved wood and beaming cherubs. The dome and azulejo panels were installed during repairs…

4. Museu Municipal

0.08 MILES

The town museum holds a bit of everything: swords and pistols, landscapes and portraits, minerals and crystals, coins, Moorish pottery, miniature…

5. Castelo dos Governadores

0.09 MILES

Built by the Moors, Lagos' castle was conquered by Christian forces in the 13th century. It's said that the ill-fated, evangelical Dom Sebastião attended…

6. Meia Praia

0.16 MILES

Arcing in a 4km-long crescent, this vast expanse of golden sand has water sports outlets, and laid-back restaurants and beach bars.

7. Statue of Dom Sebastião

0.18 MILES

In the centre of town, this silvery sculpture by João Cutileiro, commemorating the ill-fated founder of the city in armour, was inaugurated 1973.

8. Fortaleza da Ponta da Bandeira

0.19 MILES

Entered via a drawbridge, this petite fortress was built in the 17th century to protect the port. Now restored, it houses an exhibition on the Portuguese…